The five-year-old boy freed by kidnappers in Pakistan after his family paid a £110,000 ransom was “really happy” to be reunited with his father today, a spokesman for the British High Commission said. Sahil Saeed, who was released on Tuesday after being snatched at gunpoint in Pakistan two weeks ago, met Raja Naqqash Saeed at the home of the British High Commissioner in Islamabad.
The five-year-old boy freed by kidnappers in Pakistan after his family paid a £110,000 ransom was “really happy” to be reunited with his father today, a spokesman for the British High Commission said.
Sahil Saeed, who was released on Tuesday after being snatched at gunpoint in Pakistan two weeks ago, met Raja Naqqash Saeed at the home of the British High Commissioner in Islamabad.
A spokesman for the commission said: “Everyone was in very good spirits and of course delighted about his return.
“Sahil was playing football with his father in the garden and seemed really happy.”
Members of Sahil's extended family, including his grandmother, were also at the reunion.
British police helped with £100,000 ransom that got Sahil freed
Sahil and his father are expected to fly back to the UK, where their family are waiting at home in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
Sahil was on holiday with his father and other relatives in Jhelum in the Punjab region when he was snatched by gunmen on March 4.
He was found by locals wandering alone in a field around 15 miles away on Tuesday and handed over to police.
The boy has since been looked after by British officials while his father travelled from the UK.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on a visit to a new cancer treatment unit in Sahil’s home town Oldham, welcomed the boy’s return to the UK.
Mr Brown said: “I do think it is very good news. After 12 days, Sahil will be able to return to this country.
“I know he’s been re-united with his father at the British High Commission. I think we have got to recognise the exceptional role played by Greater Manchester Police and thank the Pakistan government.
“This is a co-ordinated effort to help a young boy, only five and separated from his family and now reunited with his father.
Happy
“People, of course, are very, very happy that this potentially tragic story is ending in Sahil coming back to our country today.
“We will be offering our good wishes to the family.
“It’s obviously been a very anxious time for everybody and the whole country has been following this sad episode, where a five-year-old to be separated from his family is really a very terrible experience.
“We have got to have some understanding of what people have been going through, particularly Sahil, who hopefully will get back to enjoying his life.”
Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk